KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 — National men’s singles players have been urged to ‘look into the mirror’ and confront the reality of their declining standards after another disappointing outing at the Malaysia Masters 2026.
The national men’s singles department suffered a complete wipeout in the opening round for the second consecutive year after national number one Leong Jun Hao and Justin Hoh were both eliminated at the Unifi Arena, Bukit Jalil, here, yesterday.
World No. 25 Jun Hao went down 19-21, 21-23 to China’s world No. 69 Hu Zhe An, while Justin was eliminated by experienced Indonesian shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, 16-21, 14-21.
The latest setback has further heightened concerns over their alarming inconsistency and inability to compete on court, prompting national singles coaching director Kenneth Jonassen to deliver a brutally honest assessment of the current situation.
Jonassen said the issue was not a lack of talent or technical ability, but rather the players’ mentality, discipline and unwillingness to adapt to the demands of modern badminton.
“I don’t feel we’re losing because of a lack of skill. No. We’re losing because of a lack of discipline to execute and stick to a game plan, and to stay composed even when things become uncomfortable.
“You must be disciplined in all aspects. Discipline to be intrigued about how to play when it’s uncomfortable,” he told reporters at the Malaysia Masters 2026 here.
Jonassen said both players were still too focused on producing winners and spectacular attacking shots instead of learning how to build pressure patiently through consistency and tactical awareness.
“In today’s badminton, you cannot rely on attacking shots all the time. The game has changed. Consistency and the ability to make your opponent uncomfortable are far more important now,” he said.
The Dane also admitted confidence within the camp had dropped significantly following Malaysia’s underwhelming Thomas Cup campaign earlier this month, which saw the team crash out in the quarter-finals after a 0-3 defeat to defending champions China.
In the meantime, Jonassen said lasting improvement would only happen if players themselves were willing to change their daily habits, mindset and training intensity.
“Training is not just training (for the sake) of training. It is always preparation for the next tournament. That must be the mindset. It’s not something I just come in and do.
“If I hit the gym, I’m there to get stronger. If I hit the court, I’m there with a specific plan, not just to get through the two hours. I need targets. Any player who comes in must have that mindset: ‘How do I want to become better today?’ If we get that quality, we have a chance,” he said.
Despite his criticism, the 51-year-old insisted he still believed in the current crop of players, including Leong Jun Hao, but stressed that their future would depend entirely on their willingness to change.
“I strongly believe in second chances or even last chances, but it all comes down to the willingness to change, adapt and learn new things on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
In contrast, Jonassen pointed to the women’s singles department as an example of players embracing a long-term development process despite facing setbacks and difficult situations.
He said the women are reaching the point where they accept that things can get very uncomfortable out there, and when things go wrong, they do not look elsewhere but at themselves in the mirror.
